Things to bear in mind when attending Sikh weddings

One of the most beautiful ceremonies from the Sikh religion is the wedding. However, if you are one of those persons who have never attended a Sikh wedding but is going to in the near future, you should bear certain things in mind. The most important thing you have to know is that Sikhism is a monotheistic religion that has its origins in South Asia, and it is based on the spiritual teachings of their first guru, which promotes the idea that there is a clear connection between spiritual and secular life. The wedding is called Anand Karaj in Punjabi, their official language and it can be translated into English as “joyful union” or “blissful union”. Within this ceremony, the grooms are supposed to attend the ideal and to create a connection with God, in order to serve His purpose.

There are certain important features on which the new family should base its ground: firstly, in Sikhism the marriage is considered a partnership between the groom and the bride, without taking into consideration differences of race, lineage, or social status. Secondly, establishing a dowry is forbidden in their religion, and the two grooms have to share the cost of the wedding equally as much as possible. The ceremony has to be officiated by a Sikh wedding priest and has to take place in a special location called gurdwara, which induces a state of deep spirituality and helps the sacred bound to connect the living souls and God. Everything is taken to another level during these wedding ceremonies, because whether you are a Sikh or not, you are part of their spiritual and sacred rituals, which will amaze you and will induce a general state of meditation. The Sikh wedding ceremony dates from the 15th century, when a Sikh guru composed a hymn that is sung within nearly any Sikh religious ceremony.

During the Sikh wedding ceremony, the grooms’ families and their friends have to enter Gurdwara on their bare feet and most important, with their heads covered. When occupying their sits, men go on one side and women on the other. It is worth mentioning that everyone sits on the floor, not on regular chairs as it happens in other religions. This is because they want to create a more profound connection with spirituality and with God. In this way, they feel more connected with Him. After this, the ceremony begins and all those beautiful songs and poems that transpose you into a specific dreamlike state. Many sites such as http:/www.anand-karaj.org/ provide useful information for those who are interested in finding more details about Sikh wedding ceremonies. At the end of this ceremony, the specialised singers that were hired by the grooms’ parents sing other songs and everyone starts celebrating the newly formed bound. Sikh weddings are one of the most beautiful ceremonies in Sikh culture and religion, and are a moment to be remembered for anyone outside this religion who has the occasion to attend one of these wedding ceremonies.